Toy guns



March 27, 1962 B. OGDON I 3,026,640

TOY GUNS Filed March 9, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

INVENTOR. -RA/5T B. OGDON March 27, 1962 E. B. OGDON 0 TOY GUNS Filed March 9, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ER/VEST 5. 0600M A TTORNEY 3,2fi,640 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 fine 3,026,644 TOY GUNS Ernest B. Ogden, Culver City, Calif. (876% Hilldale, Los Angeles 69, Calif.) Filed Mar. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 798,209 8 Claims. (Cl. 4077) This invention pertains to new and improved toy guns and more specifically to what may be referred to as picturescope toy guns.

A broad general object of this invention is to provide toy guns which have a greater play or amusement value than prior related constructions. More specifically an object of this invention is to provide toy guns which can be used in such a manner that children playing with these weapons are presented with pictures simulating the use of real Weapons in various circumstances. This latter objective of the invention is quite important since children as a group normally desire to simulate the real use of weapons in their play as effectively as possible.

The toy guns of this invention may be termed picturescope toy guns since they include as an integral part of them a viewing scope which is similar to the telescopic type of scope or sight normally employed in a real weapen, and since this scope, in accordance with this invention, presents to the eye of an individual using such a toy gun pictures as hereinafter described. These pictures preferably effectively simulate before and after scenes of a hunting operation or the like. Thus, a child using a toy gun of this invention can initially see through the sighting scope of such a toy gun a scene, such as a jungle scene, showing an animal in its normal habitat. After the trigger of such a toy gun has been pulled so as to simulate a normal shooting operation the scene automatically and rapidly changes so that a child sees the animal in the same habitat after it has been shot.

Obviously, however a wide variety of different scenes may be viewed through toy guns of this invention. Thus, for example, a toy gun may be built so that a child will see through the telescopic sight employed first a target which has not been hit, and secondly a target after a so-called bulls eye has been made.

As an aid to understanding this invention, it can be stated in essentially summary form that it includes toy guns, each of which is built so as to have a barrel and a gunstock or handle connected together at the center portion of such a gun. At this center portion a toy gun of this invention includes a simulated gunsight through whicha picture may be viewed. Within this center portion there is located a projection means designed to project a variety of different pictures each time a trigger attached to the center portion of the toy gun itself is actuated.

Toy guns of this invention, or toy picturescope guns, as described in this specification can obviously include a wide variety of other known or conventional types of structures normally incorporated within any toy gun besides the specific structures described broadly in the preceding paragraph. Because of the nature of this invention it is necessary to refer to the accompanying drawings in order to completely describe the invention itself. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a presently preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of the barrel of the gun illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of the center portion of the gun illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 66 of FIG. 3.;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 showing the positions of various parts of this gun as it is being operated;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a single part of the toy gun shown in the preceding figures;

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 of a modified embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line lit-10 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 1111 of FIG. 10.

It is to be understood that the accompanying drawings are primarily intended so as to clearly illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of the invention. Those familiar with the toy field will realize, however, that a number of different toy guns using the essential features inherent in the illustrated toy gun, but differing from this illustrated embodiment of the invention in appearance or in other respects, may be designed through the exercise of routine engineering skill.

In FIGS. 17 of the drawing there are shown a toy gun 10 of this invention which includes a gun stock or handle 12, a gun barrel 14, a center portion 16 connecting the stock 12 and the barrel 14 and a hollow, generally tubular simulated telescopic sight or scope 18 attached to the center portion 16 through the use of a small tube 2%). A conventionally appearing trigger 22 extends from the center portion 16 in the established manner.

Preferably, but not necessarily, this trigger 22 is attached to a conventional type of automatic cap mechanism 24 mounted within the center portion 16 of the complete gun 19. A number of different types of cap mechanisms can be used in the gun 10. Such mechanisms are shown in the issued US. Patents Nos. 2,114,575 and 2,137,154 and in other references. Within the toy gun 19 shown the cap mechanism 24 is used so as to provide a noise simulating the firing of a conventional gun each time the trigger 22 is pulled so as to increase the total amusement value obtained from this gun 16.

The cap mechanism 24 includes a hammer 26 which is adapted to be reciprocated between the two positions indicated in FIGS. 3 and 7 of the drawings in firing a conventional cap on a roll 28 of caps as the trigger 22 is pulled. Preferably this cap mechanism 24 is modified so that a pin 36 extends from the hammer 26. This pin carries a connecting link 32 which extends from the cap mechanism 24- within the center portion 16 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7 of the drawings. Preferably the pin 30 is rotatably mounted on the hammer 26, although if desired it may be rigidly mounted upon this hammer and the link 32 may be pivotally connected to it.

The end of the link 32 remote from the mechanism 24 includes a slot 34 which is adapted to receive a pin 36 attached to a drum lever 28 in such a manner that as the trigger 22 is actuated and the link 32 is moved between the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 of the drawing this lever 38 is caused to rotate between the two positions shown in these figures of the drawings about a shaft 40 mounted within the center portion 16 of the gun 10. The shaft 40, is, of course rotatably attached to the end of the lever 38 remote from the pin 36.

This lever 38 is used in rotating a film drum 42, the construction of which is best seen in FIG. 8 of the drawings. This drum includes a center hub 44 rotatably mounted on the shaft 40 and a disc-like web 46 terminating in a cylindrical wall 48 containing a plurality of windows 50. This structure is designed so that a film 52 may be mounted on the wall 43 so that each picture or frame of the film 52 is directly opposite one of the windows 50.

The wall 43 is, of course, concentric with the shaft 40. One edge of this wall includes a ratchet 54, the spacing between the edges of the notches thereof corresponding to the spacing of the windows 50.

This ratchet 5'4 is designed so as to be engaged at all times by the drum lever 38 so that movement of the trigger 22 causes this drum lever 38 to be rotated between the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 7 of the drawings. The drum lever 38 is held in engagement with the ratchet 54 through the use of a generally V-shaped wire spring 56, the center portion of which is positioned around the shaft 40. One end of the spring 56 is hooked against an edge of the drum lever 38 so as to normally tend to rotate this drum lever back to its initial position after it has been moved to the position shown in FIG. 3. The other end of the spring 56 is mounted against a partition wall 58 located within the center portion of the gun 10.

It Will be seen from this description that the spring 56 serves two functions: one of these is to cause the drum lever 38 and the drum 42 to be moved from one position to the next adjacent position after the trigger 22 has been actuated. Another function of this spring 56 is to hold the drum lever 38 in contact with the ratchet 54 at all 'times. Because of this latter function the drum lever 38, can, if desired, be referred to as a paw means.

Rotation of the drum 42 is also in part controlled by means of a small anti-backlash spring 60 mounted within the center portion 16 of the gun so that an end 62 of this spring 60 fits against walls of the ratchet 54 in order to prevent movement of the drum 42 in other than the desired direction. Rotation of the drum 42 is also in part controlled by means of a stop lever 64. This stop lever 64 is rotatably mounted about a pin 66 secured within the center portion 16 of the gun 10 so that a small projection 68 on it may be moved within any one of a plurality of holes 70 located in the external surface of the wall 48 of the drum 42. The spacing of these holes 70 corresponds to the spacing of the windows 50 in the wall 48 of the drum 42.

This stop lever 64 carries a cam arm 72 which extends from it to adjacent to the extremity of the connecting link 32 containing the slot 34. A small wire spring 74 of an essentially V-shape is mounted with its center about the pin 66 so that one of its ends engages the wall 58 and so that the other of its ends engages the cam arm 72. This spring normally biases the cam arm 72 against the connecting link 32 so that the rotation of the stop lever 64 is controlled by the movement of the connecting link 32. This construction is designed in such a manner that the projection 68 fits within one of the holes 70 so as to hold the drum 42 in its desired position except when the trigger 22 is pulled causing rotation of this drum. When this occurs the cam arm 72 is engaged so as to rotate the projection 68 out of one of these holes; when the link 32 is returned to its initial position the projection 68 automatically fits within the next adjacent of these holes when the rotation of the drum 42 is completed. Thus, the stop lever 64 and the parts attached to it serve to limit the rotation of the drum 42, and to hold this drum in a desired position.

Within the present invention a small light bulb 76 is mounted on a base 78 secured to the center portion 16 of the gun 10 within the drum 42 adjacent to the tube 20. When this light bulb 76 is operated light from it shines through one of the windows 50 and the film covering it projecting a picture on to a mirror 80 located within the scope 18 immediately adjacent to the tube 20. This picture may be viewed by an individual using the gun 10 through at least one lens 82 mounted within the scope 18.

The end of the barrel 14 is adapted to be closed with a metal top 84 through the use of a threaded fastener 86 so as to hold the two batteries 88 against a coil spring 90 mounted upon a non-conductive cup shaped member 92 secured within the barrel 14. A wire 93 leads from the spring to a small fiat metal strip 94 extending from a small non-conductive switch housing 96 into the interior of the barrel 14. This housing 96 also holds another corresponding strip 98 connected to a further wire 100 leading to the base 78. The switch housing 96 contains a small metal projecting plunger 102 which is normally held out of contact with the strips 94 and 98 by means of a coil spring 104 resiliently bearing against a flange 106 on this plunger. When the plunger 102 is depressed the strips 4 and 98 are electrically connected so as to establish an electrical circuit utilizing the barrel 14, the center portion 16 and the wires 93 and 100 causing the bulb 76 to light up. Preferably the switch housing 96 is located on the gun 10 in approximately the location where this gun is normally engaged by one hand of an individual as a trigger 22 is operated with another hand.

If desired, however, the batteries 83 may be mounted in various conventional manners within the gun 10 as for example in the gun stock, Other types of switches can, of course, be employed with this gun 10 since the sole function of the structure described in connection with the batteries 88 and the switch housing 96 to provide a source of current within the complete gun 10 for actuating or lighting up the bulb '76. g I

In FIGS. 9, l0 and 11 of the drawing there is shown a modified toy gun 100 of this invention which includes a gun stock or handle 102, a gun barrel 104, a hollow center portion 106 connecting the stock 102 and the bar rel 104 and a hollow, generally tubular simulated tele-' scopic sight or scope 108 attached to the center portion 106 through the use of a small tube 110 and through the use of a'bracket 112.

Directly beneath the tube 110 within the center portion 106 a shaft 114 rotatably carries a hollow cylindrical drum 116 having an open end 118 and a closed end 120; This drum 116 is preferably manufactured out of a transparent or translucent material, such as styrene or the like so as to include on the closed end 120 as an integral part of the drum 116 a ratchet wheel 122. Adjacent to the ratchet wheel 122 there extends a trigger 124, one end of Which is pivotally mounted upon the shaft 114. The other end of this trigger 124 extends through an opening 126 in the center portion 106 so that it may be actuated in a conventional manner. The trigger is normally held in the position shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings by means of a trigger spring 128. As is best seen in FIG. 11 of the drawing this trigger spring 128 is formed out of wire. One end of it is secured to a small bracket 130 extending into the center portion 106. The trigger spring 128 extends around the shaft 114 and terminates in a hook-like end 132 which engages the trigger 124.

This trigger 124 carries a resilient metal arm 134 serving as a pawel which is used in turning the ratchet wheel 122 and the attached drum 116. From an examination of the FIGS. 9 and 11 of the drawings it will be seen that when the trigger 124 is pulled this arm 134 is in engagement with one of the notches within the ratchet Wheel 122, and causes this ratchet wheel 122 to turn. When the trigger 124 is released the trigger spring 128 returns to its initial position; simultaneously the arm 134 slides along the ratchet wheel so as to snap into another notch of the ratchet wheel 124, causing the production of sound.

Motion of the drum 116 in the reverse direction is prevented by mean of a stop spring 136 secured to the inside of the center portion 106. This stop spring is formed out of resilient metal and includes an end 138 fitting within the notches within the ratchet wheel 122 so as to prevent rotation of this ratchet wheel in an undesired direction:

Within the gun 100 there is provided a small bracket 140 extending through the end 118 of the drum 116. This bracket supports a bulb holder 142 which in turn carries a small conventional light bulb 144, This arrangement is designed so that when a switch 146 of conventional design mounted so as to project to the exterior of the center portion 106 is pressed a circuit is completed through wires 148 connecting the light bulb 144 to batteries 150 which are :also mounted within the center portion 106. A conventional type of battery holder 152 is used to support the batteries 150. If desired, a small door 154 may :be provided within the center portion 100 to allow conventional access to the batteries 150 for replacement purposes.

When the light bulb 144 is actuated in this manner, it causes light to extend through the periphery of the drum 116 and projects an image from a film 156 containing plurality of film frames on to a mirror 158 mounted at an angle to the tube 110 within the scope 108. This image may be readily viewed through a lens 160 mounted within the scope 108 between the end of this scope or mirror 158.

The toy gun 100 is considered to be extremely advantageous from a commercial standpoint inasmuch as virtually all of the parts of it may be formed either by conventional, relatively inexpensive injection molding techniques, or by conventional metal stamping operations. Further this toy gun may be easily assembled. It also has the advantage in that the arm 134 and the stop spring 136 in going from one notch of the ratchet wheel to another notch of this ratchet wheel make considerable noise, effectively simulating the operation of a conventional gun.

I claim:

1. A toy gun including: a barrel; a center portion attached to an extremity of said barrel, said center portion being hollow; a handle attached to said center portion so as to extend away from said barrel; a tube extending from said center portion, said tube being open to the interior of said center portion; a gun sight mounted on said tube, said gun sight having tubular form, the interior of said gun sight being in communication with the interior of said tube; mirror means mounted within said gun sight adjacent to said tube; lens means mounted within said gun sight adjacent to said mirror means whereby an image on said mirror means may be viewed through said lens means; a drum rotatably mounted within said center portion, said drum including ratchet means located thereon; light bulb mounted within said drum adjacent to said window; film means positioned on said drum, the images on said film means being capable of being projected against said mirror means by said light bulb; pawl mean movably mounted within said center portion, said pawl means engaging said ratchet means; and a trigger movably attached to said center portion, said trigger being operatively connected to said pawl means.

2. A toy gun as defined in claim 1 wherein said drum has a plurality of windows formed in the outer periphery thereof and wherein said drum is located so that one of said windows is always adjacent to said tube and wherein said film means is positioned on said drum and wherein said film means includes a plurality of individual pictures, each one of said pictures covering one of said windows.

3. A toy gun as defined in claim 1 wherein said drum is formed of a material capable of transmitting light and wherein said film means incluudes a plurality of film frames, and wherein said film means are located on the periphery of said drum.

4. A toy gun including a barrel, a hollow center portion attached to said barrel at an extremity thereof; a handle attached to said center portion so as to extend away from said barrel; a tube extending from said center portion, said tube being open to the interior of said center portion; a tubular gun sight mounted on said tube, the interior of said gun sight being in communication with the interior of said tube; mirror means mounted within said mm sight adjacent to said tube; lens means mounted within said gun sight adjacent to said mirror means; a drum formed of a light transmitting material rotatably mounted within said center portion, said drum including a ratchet wheel formed on one end thereof; a light bulb mounted within said drum adjacent to said tube; film means positioned on said drum, images on said film means being visible through said gun sight when projected by said light bulb against said mirror means within said gun sight; a trigger rotatably mounted within said center portion so as to extend therefrom; pawl means carried by said trigger, said pawl means engaging said ratchet wheel; stop spring means engaging said ratchet wheel mounted Within said center portion; and a trigger spring mounted within said center portion and engaging said trigger, said trigger spring serving to return said trigger to an initial position after actuation of said trigger so as to cause said pawl means to move said ratchet wheel and said drum, said stop spring means serving to prevent said ratchet wheel and said drum from movement during movement of said trigger means back to said initial position.

5. A toy gun including; a barrel; a hollow center portion attached to an extremity of said barrel; a handle attached to said center portion so as to extend away from said barrel; gun sight means mounted on the exterior of said barrel adjacent to said center portion, said gun sight means having an open end adjacent to said handle, the interior of said gun sight means being in communication with the interior of said hollow center portion; means for holding a film movably mounted within said center portion; film means including a plurality of film frames mounted on said means for holding a film; light source means for projecting a film frame on said film means, mirror means for reflecting an image so that said reflected image is visible from said open end of said gun sight means, said mirror means being mounted within said gun sight means so as to receive an image from a film frame projected by said light source means; and trigger means for moving said means for holding a film so that successive film frames on said film means are projected and are visible from said open end of said gun sight, said trigger means being mounted on said center portion so as to extend therefrom and being operatively connected to said means for holding a film.

6. A toy gun including: a barrel; a hollow center portion attached to an extermity of said barrel; a handle attached to said center portion so as to extend away from said barrel; gun sight mean mounted on said barrel, said gun sight means having an open end adjacent to said handle and being in communication with the interior of said hollow center portion; drum means rotatably mounted within said center portion; film means including a plurality of film frames mounted on said drum means; light source means for projecting a film frame located within said drum means adjacent to said film means; mirror means for reflecting an image so that said reflected image is visible from said open end on said gun sight means, said mirror means being mounted within said gun sight means so as to receive an image projected by said light source means; and trigger means for rotating said drum means so that successive film frames are visible from said open end of said gun sight mounted on said center portion so as to extend therefrom, said trigger means being operatively connected to said drum means.

7. A toy gun including: a barrel; a hollow center portion attached to an extremity of said barrel; a handle attached to said center portion so as to extend away from said barrel; a tube extending from said center portion, said tube being open to the interior of said center portion; a gun sight mounted on said tube, said gun sight having a tubular form and an open end adjacent to said handle, the interior of said gun sight being in communication with the interior of said tube; drum means rotatably mounted within said center portion; a film means including a plurality of film frames mounted on said drum means; light source means for projecting a film form located within said drum means adjacent to said tube and said film means; mirror means mounted within said gun sight adjacent to said tube, said light source means being capable of illuminating one of said film frames so that said illuminated film frame is visible through said open end of said gun sight upon said mirror; and trigger means for rotating said drum means so that successive film frames are visible from said open end of said gun sight mounted on said center portion and operatively connected to said drum means.

8. A toy gun including: a barrel; a center portion attached to an extremity of said barrel, said center portion being hollow; a handle attached to said center portion so as to extend away from said barrel; a tube extending from said center portion, said tube being open to the interior of said center portion; a gun sight mounted on said tube, said gun sight having a tubular form, the interior of said gun sight being in communication with the interior of said tube; mirror means mounted within said gun sight adajacent to said tube; drum means rotatably mounted Within said center portion, said drum means ineluding ratchet means located thereon; film means having a plurality of film frames formed thereon positioned on said drum, the frames on said film means being capable of being projected against said mirror means; light source means mounted Within said dium means for projecting an image on said film means against said mirror means, pawl means movably mounted with said center portion and engaging said ratchet means; and trigger means mounted on said center portion and operatively connected to said pawl means so as to be capable of moving said film means so that successive frames thereon are visible from an end of said gun sight upon said mirror.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,552,567 Reardon Sept. 8, 1925 2,583,510 Ingram Jan. 22, 1952 2,847,785 Birdsall Aug. 19, 1958 fun 

